A woman with ebola-like symptoms was Sunday evening hospitalized in Kericho, County officials have confirmed.
The 36-year-old, who sources say had travelled to Malaba border, was quarantined Sunday as medics conducted further investigations to confirm the case.
Kericho’s Chief Public Relations Officer Timothy Kemei confirmed the incident, assuring Kenyans that the County’s Disease Surveillance Team had taken necessary measures to contain any possible outbreak.
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“The County’s Disease Surveillance Team immediately took over the matter, and took all necessary precautions to ensure that there was minimal contact between the patient and other persons within the hospital, including staff and other hospital users,” read Kemei’s press release.
Tests were conducted on the patient, and the Kericho County boss says the Kenya Medical and Research Institute (KEMRI) is expected to inform the county of the results within twenty four hours.
Boy, 5, dies in Uganda
Alarm over a possible outbreak in Kenya were raised last week, following reports of Ebola cases in neighboring Uganda.
Uganda’s Health Ministry confirmed cases of the deadly disease at their western border on Friday, linking 3 incidents to the Ebola outbreak in Congo.
A 5-year-old boy who was sent to seek medical assistance near the Uganda-Congo for Ebola-like symptoms has since died. The boy’s 50-year-old grandmother has also died,and his younger brother is said to be infected.
“On 10 June 2019, the child and the family entered the country through Bwera border post and sought medical care at Kagando hospital where health workers identified Ebola as a possible cause of illness,” read a World Health Organisation (WHO) incident report.
WHO: No global cause for concern, yet
On Friday, the WHO said that Ebola outbreak – which has ravished eastern Congo from 2018 – should not cause a global scare as chances of an international outbreak are still low.
“WHO advises against any restriction of travel and trade to Uganda based on the currently available information. WHO continues to monitor travel and trade measures in relation to this event, and currently there are no restrictions of the international traffic in place,” read the WHO statement.
Countries within the region have, however, been put on high alert as the disease is highly infectious.
Though Kenya has not been listed as a high-risk country, this incident has raised public concern.
The woman, who sources say had travelled to Malaba border, was quarantined Sunday as medics conducted further investigations to confirm the case.
Kericho’s Chief Public Relations Officer Timothy Kemei confirmed the incident, assuring Kenyans that the County’s Disease Surveillance Team had taken necessary measures to contain any possible outbreak.
“The County’s Disease Surveillance Team immediately took over the matter, and took all necessary precautions to ensure that there was minimal contact between the patient and other persons within the hospital, including staff and other hospital users,” read Kemei’s press release.
Tests were conducted on the patient, and the Kericho County boss says the Kenya Medical and Research Institute (KEMRI) is expected to inform the county of the results within twenty four hours.
Ugandan Cases
Concerns about a possible outbreak in Kenya were raised last week, following reports of Ebola cases in neighboring Uganda.
